-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Oklahoma State University women 's basketball coach Kurt Budke and assistant coach Miranda Serna were killed when their plane crashed on the way to a recruiting trip in Arkansas , university officials said Friday .

Former Oklahoma state Sen. Olin Branstetter and his wife , Paula , also died in the crash Thursday , university spokesman Gary Schutt said .

`` It 's a terribly sad day , '' he said .

The crash occurred in Perry County , Arkansas , leaving no survivors .

The plane , a Piper Cherokee PA-28 , according to FAA records , crashed under `` unknown circumstances '' in a wooded area about four miles south of Perryville , Arkansas , about 4:30 p.m. CT on Thursday , agency spokesman Lynn Lunsford said Friday .

No additional information about the crash was immediately available .

The National Transportation Safety Board has sent investigators to the crash site , the agency said Friday .

Budke and Serna were on a recruiting trip to Little Rock , Arkansas , the university said .

`` For any coaching community to lose bright stars like Kurt and Miranda is tragic , '' NCAA President Mark Emmert said in a statement . `` This is a profound loss for the Oklahoma State women 's basketball family , the entire university and future women 's basketball players as well . ''

University officials credited Budke for turning the school 's women 's basketball program around , culminating with a top-10 national ranking and an appearance in the second round of the NCAA tournament last season . He was in his seventh season with the school .

`` Kurt was an exemplary leader and a man of character who had a profound impact on his student-athletes , '' Oklahoma State President Burns Hargis said . `` He was an outstanding coach and a wonderful person . We send our deepest sympathies to his wife , Shelley , and their children , Sara , Alex and Brett . ''

Serna was also in her seventh season with OSU after coming to the school to work for Budke from Louisana Tech , where they both previously worked . She served as the program 's recruiting coordinator , according to the school .

Hargis called her `` an up-and-coming coach and an outstanding role model for our young ladies . ''

`` Its our worst nightmare , '' he added .

The school called off games scheduled for Saturday and Sunday , and grief counselors were on hand for athletes and staff , the university said .

Jim Littell , the team 's associate head coach , will take over as interim head coach , according to Mike Holder , OSU vice president for athletics .

The crash is the second fatal plane crash to strike the OSU basketball program in nearly 11 years .

Ten people , eight of them associated with the university 's men 's basketball program , died when their plane crashed in a Colorado snowstorm on January 28 , 2001 .

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Plane crash kills two OSU women 's basketball coaches , ex-state senator and his wife

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Crash a `` profound loss '' for Oklahoma State University , NCAA president says

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It 's the second fatal plane crash for OSU basketball since 2001

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The school calls off games for Saturday and Sunday